Hunter From the Dappled Green
by SmilingChipmunk
Summary: Formerly Captivating Cataclysm. Leura is a 'hunter' from the forest, but not the type you need a license for. She's not completely familiar with the 'outside' world, but craves the new and has something she has to do: take the hunter exam, which promises fun, excitement, adventure, and to complete her goal. She meets Gon and the gang and happily joins them. Anime based, KurapikaXOC
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter :D NOT YET BWAHAHAH...no. No I never will.

AN: Okey dokes! For those who don't know, this is the new edited version of 'Captivating Cataclysm', now renamed as 'Hunter From the Dappled Green'! We are officially back in business :D I've changed almost everything, so I hope for former readers (you might recognise some of it :D I reused things as well XD) it will be even more enjoyable and for new readers that you will enjoy the story!

* * *

><p>"Oh! Sorry!" I apologized once again as I bumped into someone else.<p>

"Get out of the way, girl!" A gruff voice shouted, followed by the sounds of wheels against busy seaside port city streets.

"Yes!" I cried immediately, dashing to the side out of the way of the oncoming carriage. I hadn't seen it because it was on my right side, and the eye patch on my right eye limited my vision. I was used to it, but these accidents were bound to happen. It was all hustle and bustle here!

_Wow, the city is just bustling with people! It's so loud and energetic, it's so different from the forest…! Oh, that must be the ship to Dole! _

I looked out in wonder over the beautiful sea, shielding my eyes from the blinding light and smiling brightly at the ship, but paused when I suddenly heard the familiar pounding of shoes and shouts coming from behind me. I pulled my brown cloak around myself and threw the large hood on, glancing behind me and quickly running into one of the side alleys. I had the feeling now I was in more of a industrialised place, I would be using the brown side of the cloak more than the green.

"Where did she go? She can't have gotten that far!" a male voice yelled.

"Here, check here!" a younger male voice answered and began to round the corner into the alley. I jumped onto one of the wooden crates stacked near the wall and scrambled up the side of it, using the handy jutted out stone bricks as hand and footholds.

"And…up we go!" I murmured, jumping over the edge onto the roof, slightly poking a tongue out at the teenage boy and adult running in. "Sorry, but I can't let you find me today."

* * *

><p>"Um, excuse me? Is this the ship to Dole?" I tentatively asked a tall, muscular man covered in scars who was striding onto the ship from underneath my hood. I saw him eye the bow shape under my cloak near my shoulder and the quiver shape underneath my cloak.<p>

"Why?" he growled in reply, sneering as he tried to peer into my shadowed hood.

"Oh, I wanted to take the hunter exam!" I exclaimed brightly, laughing a little at the end. His face was surprised for a second, and then he glared at me suspiciously.

"What're you laughin' at? Ain't you a girl?" he mocked. "Go back home before you die, little girl." He flippantly knocked my shoulder back, making my hood slide off. The salty wind felt quite refreshing against my skin and I could see the sunlight reflecting rather dully off my dark green hair. I saw him start at the eye patch and most likely the dark green birthmark that ran in a wavy line down beneath my right eye. I was lucky that the eye patch covered some of it.

"No, I'm only laughing because it sounds odd. After all, I'm already a hunter, in a sense." I smiled, shrugging off my bow and letting it peek out of my cloak, which felt velvety and smooth to the touch. "Just a different kind. But from what I've heard of this exam, even if I die, it won't be because I'm a girl. It will be because I lacked determination and strength. Good day, sir and thank you for answering my question!" I smiled and nodded politely, walking past him and pulling my hood back up.

* * *

><p>"I promise I'll become a super-hunter and be back!" I jumped when a younger voice than mine suddenly sounded in my ear. I had been mesmerized by the bustling city life and gentle crashing of the ocean waves, enjoying the occasional salty spray the waves splashed up. It was all so new and beautiful, and my journey was only just starting. I stared at the boy, who had long spiky black hair and large innocent brown eyes. He was wearing a green jacket and shorts, and he looked so young and energetic, I smiled and laughed just looking at him, leaning my cheek in my palm against the ship railing. Snickers echoed around the ship as macho looking guys mockingly laughed at the boy's words. I didn't understand why the people here were so unkind, was it their individual experiences, or did they just look down on those who appeared to be weak?<p>

The ship slowly drifted out of the harbour, and the boy leapt up and down with excitement, all the while yelling farewells. I smiled fondly, he kind of reminded me of Myu-my heart throbbed achingly as I suddenly thought of her.

_Myuna…_

I shook my head clear of those thoughts, stretching and pulling my spine as if I were reaching for the blue sky and balancing on my tippy toes.

"There she is! On the boat!" a familiar voice yelled, and I immediately stopped mid stretch, letting my arms drop and glancing along the port. Sure enough, two figures ran along it, the younger and the older male running along the edge of the boardwalk. I contemplated ignoring them, leaning both my elbows on the railing and staring at them in amusement.

"Um, miss, I think they're calling you!" the boy turned to me and pointed at them, making me blink in surprise. "Do you know them?"

"Haha…I guess you can say that," I said cheekily. I shrugged, made a decision and pulled my hood back briefly, waving my hand enthusiastically at them. "Sorry I snuck away! I'll be back soon, I promise! Bye dad, Nioka! Tell mum not to worry!"

"Eh? They were your family?" he said curiously, peering at the pair that could barely be heard anymore.

"Yup! My dad and my brother," I replied, replacing the hood and turning around to lean against the railing with my back and elbows.

"But why were they running after you?"

"Heehee…well, I promised them I wouldn't try get on this ship so they would take me here. So I guess my promises aren't worth much." I stuck my tongue out.

"So you must have a good reason you want to be here so much!" he replied instantly, nodding affirmatively. I was surprised again and looked at him staring out at the shrinking seaside town.

_Is that perception or just innocence?_

"There is." I murmured, smiling softly.

"My name is Gon!" he introduced brightly.

"I'm Leura! It's a pleasure to meet you!" I held out my hand and he shook it, his smaller hand fitting easily into my larger one.

* * *

><p>"I heard the kid say there's going to be a storm, heh! There isn't even a cloud in the sky, and he said he knew because the birds were talking about it, what a joke!" Gruff voices came around the corner as I tried not to slump over the railing. The lack of experience with ships was taking its toll on my stomach. We had separated to investigate the ship, but it seemed I was stuck around near the back of the ship.<p>

_Gon did?_

I looked up at the sky, smelling the salty wind and trying to listen to the sharp caws of the seagulls, but my head and stomach started to churn.

_I'll just have to take his word for it…_

I suppressed a moan, holding my head in my hands. All I wanted was to not throw up on anyone, that would be the worst first impression, at the very least. If this was what I was like when the sea was calm, I shuddered to think of when the seas got rougher, like Gon predicted. I almost cried thinking about it, choosing to rest my head against the cool rail.

* * *

><p>The storm came almost without warning, and Kurapika eyed the fast approaching dark clouds and looming waves. He decided to head in, save he get caught in the torrential downpour that was sure to come. He walked around to the cabin door, passing a cloaked figure by the railing. He or she was partly limp against the side of the ship and he was almost sure that they were going to slip over the side. The figure started to move all of a sudden and stumble towards him dangerously.<p>

"Ex…Excuse me, could you tell me if a storm is coming?" a female voice floated out from beneath the hood. He eyed her warily and slowed his walking pace.

"Yes," he said, glancing at the clouds.

"T-thank you, sir…could…could you possibly take me inside?" she mumbled.

_Sir? She's not much younger than me. _

"The door is-" Kurapika began, gesturing lightly at the entrance but was interrupted by her suddenly doubling over. He sincerely hoped she was not going to throw up.

"I don't like the sea," she muttered and collapsed forward. Only his reflexes stopped her from smashing her face on the ground but there was a clatter as her bow slipped over her shoulder and hit the wooden ground. Her hood fell loose and though he had caught glimpses of her face before, he had never seen her this close. He found himself analyzing her odd features, trying to see if he could place her heritage.

Her hairstyle seemed traditional, two braids originating from the middle, one going left and one going right around the top of her head like a crown, and the rest of her hair down, about mid back length. The two braid ends connected at the back, forming a larger braid down the back. It was tied, or rather, held together with an intricately carved metal band with winding patterns on it. For a second, he found the patterns incredibly familiar and he almost jerked back.

He shook his head, eyeing the dark green leaf like hair, and the rough brown eye patch across her right eye. It seemed to slightly cover a dark green mark running down like a vine underneath her eye. Her curved wooden bow indicated she was most likely raised or trained in the woods, and probably used it more for hunting than fighting, either way, it was clear she used it often from the calluses on her fingertips.

_Tharraa* Clan…_

The name suddenly popped into Kurapika's head and he narrowed his eyes in confusion. He didn't remember learning or reading about the 'Tharraa Clan' anywhere, so how did he know it?

* * *

><p>When I woke up, I was somehow inside the cabin of the ship listening to the violent waves crashing outside. I grabbed for my bow instantly, sighing in relief when my hand touched the handgrip. The last thing I remembered…the blonde boy in the blue and gold clothes, he looked strangely familiar and I had…asked him for help. I glanced around the cabin, grabbing onto the pillar beside me when the ship tilted to ridiculous angles and miraculously recovered. My balance seemed to have gotten used to the waves, and I was feeling less awful. I caught the blue grey eyes of the blonde boy and I smiled, tilting my head in thanks. He stared for a second, and then nodded stiffly back, returning to his book.<p>

"Leura! Are you feeling okay now?" Gon ran up to me cheerfully and I gave him a small wave.

"Better! Not completely right, but I don't think I'll get so dizzy I faint again!" I laughed, stopping when I felt a wave of nausea run through me. "Oh! I think I might've spoken too soon…"

"Don't worry! I'll get you a drink!" Gon dashed off energetically, dropping comforting words to fellow dizzy passengers.

* * *

><p>"We had a lot of waves," the white bearded captain said as he finished smoking on a small wooden pipe.<p>

"Ah! Yeah!" a deck hand said.

"So, how are they this year?" The captain asked, walking along the hallway.

"Just like those in past years…They're almost dead."

"This isn't training for weaklings. And they want to be hunters? What a joke…" the captain muttered, stepping through the door. He stopped suddenly when he caught sight of a dashing Gon, bringing water and herbs to dazed passengers, now giving the green haired girl a glass of water. He glanced around to the only people that didn't appear to be suffering from the rough ride, a sleeping blond haired boy and a perverted looking man. He smirked and summoned them to the tiller.

* * *

><p>"Your names?" the captain asked, turning to them.<p>

"Name's Leorio," the perverted looking man said.

"I'm Gon!"

"My name is Kurapika."

"Why-" the captain began when the door suddenly slammed open. Leura looked like a deer caught in headlights as they all turned to look at her and slowly raised her empty glass.

"I'm _so _sorry, I thought…I thought I could get some more water here." She smiled sheepishly, her face looking pallid and still a little sickly.

"This is where the steering wheel is, missy, how'd you end up here? Go back to the cabin." The captain gestured with his pipe dismissively.

"Hehe…sorry Captain, I'm not so good with ships." She scratched her head, closing the door behind her. The captain narrowed his eyes for a moment and paused.

_Since she's here already, and there's something different about her..._

"Wait."

"Yes?" she peered back in, looking hopeful for her glass of water.

"Come in," he grunted, motioning for her to line up beside the others. She looked a tiny bit disappointed before joining them.

"What's your name?" he asked the teenage girl.

"Leura, at your service!" she said brightly, saluting jokingly. The captain nodded and glanced around.

"That's Kurapika, and Leorio!" Gon informed her brightly.

"Alright, continuing on from before. Why do you want to be hunters?" the captain asked.

"Excuse me? I don't think you're an examiner…why should we answer you?" Leorio replied arrogantly.

"I want to know what my father's work is like!" Gon shouted enthusiastically, raising his arm.

"Hey! Who told you to answer? Have some team spirit," Leorio said pointedly.

"I'm giving my reasons, what's wrong with that?" Gon replied.

"You shouldn't, that's all."

"I agree with Leorio." Kurapika finally spoke up.

"Eh! How old are you? Were you never told to respect your elders?" Leorio turned to him.

"I would rather not answer your questions then lie to you. I think lying is more shameful than being greedy." Kurapika continued, ignoring Leorio.

"I'm Leorio! Leorio-san! Hey! Are you listening to me?" Leorio shouted insistently in the background.

"Speaking honestly in front of people I just met…the reasons I want to become a hunter are mine, and are personal. That's why I can't answer your question."

* * *

><p>I looked curiously at Kurapika, wondering why he was so secretive. He must've had something he wanted to keep to himself very much, but he made himself sound much harsher than I perceived him to be.<p>

"In that case, you must get off my ship as soon as possible," the captain stated from beneath his hat.

_What? What on earth is going on? I just wanted some water…!_

Leorio and Kurapika both gaped in surprise as the captain started to speak again.

"You still don't understand? The exam has already started. You know that a lot of people want to take the hunter exam, so it's impossible to test everyone. It's my job to kick out and choose who I think is worthy of proceeding. The other people on this ship have already been registered as a fail, so even if they do manage to get to the examination, they won't be able to get in. Whether you get there is up to me, so put your mistrust away and answer my question." Silence fell as Leorio and Kurapika reconsidered their positions and I glanced around.

"Well, I want to become a hunter because I'm looking for my sister!" I said, stopping my hand when I realized I was fiddling with my braid.

"I'm looking for my dad too! Has she been missing for a long time?" Gon asked curiously. I smiled ruefully, looking down at him calmly.

"Yes, quite a while." Silence fell again after my words, and I took to humming quietly under my breath.

"I am the only survivor of the Kuruta clan," Kurapika said quietly. The captain's eyes widened in shock, and my humming stopped.

_Kuruta? _

I wracked my brain for the word, but came up blank.

_Why does that sound so familiar? This boy is so weird…why does everything about him feel so familiar? I don't think I've met him anywhere before…I guess I must be imagining it. _

"Four years ago, all my relatives were killed by thieves. The reason I want to become a hunter is to capture the Phantom Brigade," he explained darkly, anger showing even through the most calmest of voices.

"Becoming a blacklist hunter? The Phantom Brigade is Class A. Even the best hunters will think twice before trying to capture them, you're chasing a sure death," The captain said matter of factly.

"I do not fear death. I fear only that my rage will fade over time."

"So you want revenge, and you need to be a hunter for that?" Leorio scoffed.

"That, Leorio is the stupidest question I have ever been asked," Kurapika said starkly. Leorio's face twitched menacingly and soured considerably. "If I don't become a hunter, I don't have access to certain places, information and displacement. Your small brain probably didn't register that."

* * *

><p>"You shouldn't fight, not in weather like this…!" I protested meekly, trying to quietly disrupt their fight, but I watched something snap in Leorio's eyes and sighed.<p>

"That's the third time. Follow me to the deck. Let's end the Kuruta clan right now." Leorio eyed Kurapika menacingly.

"Take back what you just said, Leorio." Kurapika narrowed his eyes in anger immediately

"Leorio-san. Come."

"I'm right behind."

"Oh, you two…" I stretched my hand uselessly and sighed. The two strode out of the cabin angrily, despite the captain's protests.

"Let them fight!" Gon interjected. "If you want to know someone, start by finding out what makes him mad. My aunt Mito often said this, and I liked it. From my point of view, they both have good reasons to be angry, it's better to let them fight." The captain sighed and adjusted his cap.

"I think they're both just too prideful to give in and admit when they're wrong. It's the bad atmosphere, the air is too tense…" I glanced outside at the churning waves and thundering clouds, holding my glass wistfully.

_I want some water…_

"Well, let's keep an eye on the fight at the very least," I said to Gon, who nodded.

* * *

><p>I slowly and very shakily reached the deck as another wave crashed down onto the ship, even with Gon's help. I spat salty water out of my mouth, gagging at the disgusting taste and uselessly tried to put my hood on, not like it would do much good. I glanced around to Leorio and Kurapika, and found the fight already in motion. Kurapika fought with joined wooden weapons, while Leorio wielded a dagger like weapon. A flash of lightning made me shield my eye and cringe a little, but I caught sight of a sailor fixing a crack in the mast.<p>

_That's incredibly dangerous, should I go help him?_

I turned to speak to Gon, pointing at the sailor but tumbled to the side, hitting the wall of the ship as a heavy wave knocked it. As I was struggling back up using the railing while muttering angrily to myself, I saw the sailor lose his grip and as the ship tilted, go flying over the same edge I rested against, almost right past me. I recovered from the surprise as quickly as I could, lunging for the falling man-which was when I felt my feet slip against the wet deck and I went tumbling over the side after him. Out of the corner of my eye as I fell, I saw Gon mid flight, grabbing onto the sailor's ankles.

_Worry about yourself first, or else we'll all die. _

I grabbed three sturdy arrows out of my quiver as quick as I could and slammed them into the side of the ship, one of them beneath me, one beside me, and one through the pants of the man flailing past me. I _lightly _landed on the bottom one to prevent it from breaking and held on to the one on the side for balance. The arrow through the sailor's pants wouldn't hold, so I leaned forward to lunge at him when I realized Leorio and Kurapika had grabbed onto Gon.

"Oh, thank god…" I sighed in relief.

* * *

><p>"Those arrows are sharp, they left quite a mark in the wood." The captain commented dryly as he looked over the edge. I had retrieved them one by one when they pulled me up and had left a couple of deep, sharp gouges in the wood. "This ship as been with me for a while…"<p>

"O-oh no! I'm so sorry!" I stammered hastily, flustered and looking over the edge.

"Hmph," a small smile tugged at his weathered mouth. "A couple marks to save the life of a mate is nothing."

My tense body relaxed and I breathed a sigh of relief, smiling and nodding in agreement earnestly.

"Lucky you were there to catch him!" I patted Gon on the shoulder happily. The weather had cleared and the ship had thankfully leveled out to a nice, _normal_ angle so I could bask in the nice glow of the sun.

"Don't praise him, little miss clumsy! We almost had to fish three bodies out of the water!" Leorio scolded Gon and I.

"Maybe, but you caught me, didn't you?" Gon cut in casually.

"Well, I guess…" Leorio said after a pause. "And why are you still holding that?" he asked as he turned to me, holding my glass. I blinked at it in surprise and smiled with glee after realizing it was filled with water!

"I…I don't know, I guess I've just been holding onto it automatically." I shrugged helplessly, but gleefully chugged the water down."Pffffffft!" I spat it out immediately, spraying it everywhere as I coughed. "It's sea water!" I choked out.

"What did you think it was?! Idiot!" Leorio yelled.

"It must have been filled when I was standing against the ship, the waves…" I stroked my chin, thinking hard and ignoring him.

"Forgive my rudeness, Leorio-san." Kurapika apologised, holding out his hand.

"Ah, no need to be so formal, call me Leorio, Kurapika. I should've taken back what I said," Leorio said amicably, no longer exuding rudeness and arrogance.

"HAHA! You guys please me, you all pass! I will personally take you to the next site!" The captain roared heartily.

"Yay!" Gon jumped up and down excitedly and I laughed, this journey was going to be more fun than I had hoped. I ran a hand down my braid and touched the cool metal band.

_I'll find you, Myuna._

* * *

><p>AN: So I sincerely hope you enjoyed the first chapter, thank you for reading and if you like, feel free to drop a review, ask a question, or just leave some helpful advice :D My pattern is usually to use first person for Leura, and third person for everyone else.<p>

**Name** **Meanings: **I took my inspiration from the natives of Australia (Aboriginals) and used names from their language :D! But keep in mind that there are many different tribes and languages, so the names might not mean the same in every aboriginal 'dialect'. I never realised how well their names fit together, I just chose them XD They're all related, Myuna is the oldest, and she would be 17, so Leura and Nioka would be 16. Their last name is Tarkine.

**Leura (pronounced Lyu-ra): **Lava

**Nioka (pronounced Nyo-ka): **Green hills

**Myuna (pronounced Mew-na): **Clear water

* Tharraa means bark of a tree, and it just sounded well with Kuruta :D Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the awesome Hunter X Hunter, just Leura.

AN: Hello! How are you? Second chapter is now up, so I hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>When we got to Dole, we discovered hoards of people milling around. While Gon thanked the captain, Leorio found the bus to Zaban.<p>

"Listen guys! The captain told me if we wanted to get to the next exam, we should head for the tree!" Gon pointed to the tree on the top of a mountain.

"What? The map says we need to take a bus from that stop!" Leorio interrupted.

"Well, I trust the captain, so I'm going." Gon started walking towards the deserted path.

"You're too naïve Gon!" Leorio shook his head. "What about you Kurapika, Leura?"

"I'm going with Gon." Kurapika said. "I'm more interested in what Gon does."

"The tree! It looks more fun, and anyway, why would the Captain lie?" I grinned, skipping up to Gon energetically. Leorio decided to take the bus, grumbling slightly as he left.

As we progressed further down the road, the noise of the city slowly went down and a nice hushed rustling of the forest soon surrounded us. It was only interrupted by the loud crunch of footsteps running up behind us and I smiled at Leorio, waving excitedly.

"Was the bus too crowded?" I asked as I walked up backwards, still looking at him.

"He…he, no I thought you guys might get lonely without me!" Leorio laughed sheepishly.

_Is there someone there?_

I frowned, looking around me into the forest. I could hear somebody, but I was wondering why they were following us. Maybe they were out for a stroll? But that's rather odd if they're just staying at a distance. We slowly came up to an abandoned city, more hushed than the forest but much more unnaturally.

"This place is creepy. It looks deserted," Leorio muttered.

"But there are a lot of people here…" Gon said, glancing around. Kurapika agreed, and I strained my ears, sniffing the air lightly. It was dusty, but there were shuffling noises echoing around the city, and noises of cloth being swept along the floor.

"Maybe they just want to be friends?" I waved tentatively at the boarded windows.

"Let's keep our guard up," Kurapika said, advancing into the city. Leorio scratched his cheek and looked around stupidly.

"How do you know?" Leorio peered around.

"The sound of them breathing is everywhere," Kurapika said.

"And you can hear the sound of cloth scraping along the ground!" Gon added.

"That's what I was thinking!" I looked at the tall buildings.

"Unfortunately, I'm a normal guy," Leorio said as he strained his ears. Suddenly, an old lady and a posse of ghost like people appeared in front of them. I tilted my head in confusion as we slowly came to a stop.

"THE EXCITING QUIZ OF TWO ANSWERS!" the old lady suddenly yelled.

_Eek! Is she quite alright? _

I jumped a little, blinking at the eccentric old woman. This exam was different to what I thought it was going to be, but still fun. It was full of surprises!

_Isn't that person lonely?_

"Hello? Will you come out to join us?" I turned around, peering at the wall corner.

"Oh, so I was discovered! Sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear. I think I'll go first, I wouldn't want to be taken down with you guys, no offense." A young red haired man emerged from the corner, walking up to us.

"That's right, one person can answer for all. If you want to advance to the exam from here, you must take this quiz," the old lady croaked. Gon looked visibly relieved, and I laughed at his expression. To be completely honest, I was quite relieved as well, I didn't know there was going to be a quiz involved.

"I'm not much of a thinker so…" Gon poked his tongue out and smiled childishly.

"Neither am I," I laughed sheepishly.

"Enough! Are you taking it by yourself?" the old woman croaked again.

"Yes," the young man said.

"You may only answer with 1 or 2. The question is: Your mother and your girlfriend are captives of a demon. You can only save one. 1 your mother, 2 your girlfriend."

"Eh?!" the three others exclaimed. I scrunched my face up, thinking hard.

"That's a crazy question!" Leorio yells.

_I wouldn't have a girlfriend though. _

"Heh. 1." The young man only though for a second before answering.

"Why?"

"Because you only have one mother, but you can get another girlfriend." He explained confidently. The group congregated to talk in hushed whispers.

"Go through." The people drifted apart to let the man run through.

"What's with this quiz?!" Leorio blurts.

"Your turn. You can now only answer with 1 or 2. Take this quiz 1, forfeit 2. "

"1!" I said immediately, sitting down on a small crate. "I don't want to fail this quiz now!"

"Leura! This is insane!" Leorio turned to me, and I smiled apologetically.

"We'll never know, maybe we'll get a better question?"

"Your son and daughter have been kidnapped, and you can only save one. 1 your daughter, 2 your son."

_I wouldn't know, I can't imagine having children…I'll just copy them! Huh? There's a draft here? Wind? But…_

I was suddenly entranced by a different scented wind flowing from a nearby wall.

"Leorio, don't-" Kurapika warned as the tall man picked up a stick angrily.

"Excuse me, I think there's a crac-" I began at the same time, but was interrupted quickly by the old woman.

"Stop! Any more talking and you will be disqualified!" she yelled.

"5…"

"4…."

"3…."

"2…."

"1…it's over!" The old woman counted. Leorio launched himself at the old lady, and Kurapika quickly ran in front of her, blocking the hard smash with his weapons.

"Calm down Leorio! We passed the test!" Kurapika yelled at Leorio. Leorio looked confused, halting for a second.

_We did? What was the answer?_

"You were right Leorio, this quiz has no right answer, which means the only thing to do is say nothing!" Kurapika turned to the old woman, who nodded.

"But...but they let him through!" Leorio pointed in the direction of the man who ran through. I walked over and leaned against the wall I had been peering at earlier.

"They never said he was right, just for him to go through." Gon pointed out. I pointed at the wall and knocked against it.

"Then…" I thought for a moment, trying to piece things together. "Does the right path have anything to do with this crack?"

_I had no idea the right answer was silence, I was just copying the others! Lucky…_

The people dressed like ghosts moved past me to the wall and pushed it open, revealing a long dark hallway.

_Yes! _

"That is correct. Well done, you have all passed, if you walk through this entrance for about 2 hours, you should get to the tree. There is a house there were a navigator couple lives, they will take you to the examination site."

Leorio's face turned red, and he apologized to the old lady.

"That's alright, I do this job to meet people like you."

"Bye bye! Thank you!" I waved to the old lady as they slid the door shut.

* * *

><p>"It's no use! I can't think of the right answer!" Gon said as they walked through, face scrunched up.<p>

"Gon, the test is over, you don't have to think anymore!" Leorio patted him on the shoulder.

"But what if this actually happens? What will you do then?" Gon struggled a little more, before giving up.

"I would train my children and then they can fight their way out together!" I said brightly, mimicking a fight. Leorio scoffed, throwing his suitcase over his shoulder.

Eventually, I got tired of running up ahead and fell in line with Kurapika.

"Have I met you before?" I struck up a conversation lightly. He glanced up at my voice, eyes quickly flashing over my hair.

"No, I don't think so." He shook his head.

"No? Hm, I guess I must be mistaken. Maybe I've just met someone from your clan before-" I froze mid sentence, mentally shooting myself in the foot. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to…it's just that I'm also from a different clan and I thought I might've-"

"Don't worry about it," Kurapika said calmly, the only indication that it disturbed him was a narrowing of the eyes. "Incidentally, what clan are you from?"

"Oh! The Tharraa Clan, we're a bit of an obscure but large community. We live generally in the deep forest, so I'm glad to be out on my own to explore!" I explained fondly.

"Tharraa…? I see…" he murmured, eyes concentrated.

"Is it so weird?" I laughed, patting him on the back, to which he twitched a little in surprise. "Don't think too much, enjoy the walk, relax! I think you'll find you'll feel more refreshed!"

"I don't have the luxury of relaxing…but I can try." He smiled wryly at the end of the sentence, and I smiled happily back.

"That's the spirit!"

* * *

><p>Eventually, the dark tunnel became a dark forest pathway, with several signs embedded in the ground with the ominous warning 'Attention: Monsters!'<p>

"A two hour walk? No way! Two hours ago we'd already walked two hours!" Leorio complained loudly. "I'm hungry! And I wanna go to the toilet!" he continued.

"I'm hungry too!" I rubbed my stomach, wondering about the last time I ate.

"There it is." Kurapika gestured up ahead and sure enough, a small wooden hut loomed up ahead.

"Are you coming Leorio?" Gon called back to a flailing Leorio. We walked up to the dark hut, seemingly quiet but I felt something weird. The hair on the back of my hair stood up, and I shifted uncomfortably. I liked the forest, but it was dark and it was night, and the silence felt unnatural.

"We're really here!" Leorio said.

"How quiet…are we the only ones to have gotten this far?" Kurapika mused. Leorio stepped up to the door and knocked. There didn't appear to be a response, so Leorio pushed the door open.

"I'm coming in!" he called. As I peered into the darkness, I took a step back as I saw the inside of the house in ruins. An injured man lay on the floor, reaching up towards a woman who was dangling on the arm of a large laughing beast. It was standing on two legs, and had the mixed appearance of a fox and a kangaroo.

"A monster!"

It shot through us with the woman and I blinked in surprise, almost falling back.

"We have to help!" Gon yelled, already running after it.

"Leorio! Take care of the wounded!" Kurapika yelled back, following Gon.

"You can count on me!" Leorio rushed towards the moaning man.

"Are you coming with us, Leura?" Gon asked and I nodded, a little flustered and unsure.

"He's escaped into the forest! But where exactly?!" Kurapika said frustrated. Gon stopped beside him and glanced around quickly. His eyes darted around and he suddenly pointed into the forest.

"There!" he sprinted into the dark, thick forest immediately.

"That'll save me some energy!" I sighed in relief, gesturing to Kurapika.

"That's amazing he can see in such darkness…" he commented, shaking his head. I sprinted after him, taking his lead and using branches as hand holds and leaping through the trees. I felt like a monkey again, travelling through the forest at high speed and changed to jumping when my arms started getting sore.

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>Is it fun?" the young girl asked. The other girl nodded excitedly and jumped on her feet. <strong>_

"_**You get to fly through the trees, and make new animal friends and, and…" she lost her words, too excited to form them anymore. **_

"_**Yeah, yeah! Let's go now!" the young boy grabbed the girl's hand, tugging her out. **_

"_**Isn't it better to just stay at home? There are insects and scary animals out there!" the girl sitting down whined. "I don't want to go out." **_

* * *

><p>The experience pushed an old memory to the surface and I shook my head, focusing on the task at hand.<p>

"Release her!" Gon yelled after the darting beast.

"Try get her yourself! Heeheehee!" it cackled.

"It can talk! Great! Now we can talk it over!" Gon resumed the chase.

"He can easily take the appearance of a human! Watch out!" Kurapika warned. Gon had already caught up to it, and with impressive speed, hit it hard on the head with his fishing rod. It dropped the woman in pain and I sprung down to catch her. She landed softly in my arms and I staggered a little, immediately handing her over to Kurapika while Gon pursued the fleeing beast. We both turned as we heard a rustle nearby and Kurapika stiffened.

"What's there?" he whispered. I sighed as I realized I probably had to use my eyes in this case.

"Well, if there's one good thing about having an eye patch, it's that one eye is always adjusted to darkness!" I got up and laughed dryly, stretching and shrugging off my bow. I rested for a moment and then flipped my eye patch upwards, opening my right eye and closing my left. Instantly, the world brightened and I could see, but at the same time I felt my strength and energy depleting from the use of the strange, red eye that plagued, or 'blessed' the Tharraa clan every generation.

"Please come find me if I don't come back!" I smiled and waved before running off.

Kurapika hurriedly took the woman in his arms and looked curiously at Leura. Her pursuit was as quiet and efficient as Gon's, and she had disappeared from sight instantly. What has caught his attention was that strange flash of red from underneath her eye patch that had stirred shock in his mind. He shook his head, he must be imagining things. There was no one left in his clan but him.

I chased the shadow to a plain, and it darted to the first beast, where they appeared to swap places. I tilted my head in confusion, and ran after the original beast. I was slowing down considerably and I pulled an arrow out. As it came running past, I jumped down from the branch, landing in the grass in front with my arrow cocked and aimed.

"Good evening! May I ask who you and your partner are and why you took the nice lady?" I asked nicely.

"Heehee! Why do you want to know?" it cackled.

"Well, because I wouldn't want you bothering…them again and…" I blinked slowly, brain slowly growing fuzzy. "Maybe…we can work…out a compromise…?"

"Why would we do that?" it asked evilly.

"I really…wouldn't want to hurt you!" I tightened and pulled my bow string back a little further, arm starting to tremble a little from the strain. But I had practiced long enough that it didn't hurt so much anymore.

"Dear! Come out!" a new, laughing voice rang across from the nearby clearing suddenly and I almost jumped, had I not been too tired to.

"Oh, it's time!" its expression instantly turned brighter and kinder, and I lowered my bow, tilting my head in confusion.

* * *

><p>They explained that they were the navigators, and that this was a test to see if we were worthy. The injured 'husband and wife' were actually brother and sister, and Kurapika and Leorio both passed as they complimented Kurapika on his observation and knowledge, while Leorio was congratulated on his ability to medically treat and detect inconsistencies. I passed too, with the compliments that I was able to detect another presence and negotiation attempts. I had stopped using my eye, placing the eye patch back in its rightful place. Finally, Gon was praised by his amazing abilities of attentiveness and talent.<p>

"We will take you to the centre!" they said proudly, and as soon as I was settled, in some sense of that word, in the claws of the kiriko, I was asleep.

* * *

><p>"We're finally at Zaban city! Wow! Is that the exam centre?" I exclaimed, shielding my eyes from the glare as I peered at a large building.<p>

"Nope. This one." The navigator pointed to a small restaurant, and our jaws all dropped open.

"It has to be discreet, and an inconspicuous place would be the best!"

I could see the logic behind that and followed resignedly into the restaurant, taking no notice as we were led to a small room.

"Here, you'll need these." The navigator threw plates at us, and I peered at mine. 406 huh?

I looked around the room curiously while Gon thanked the navigator and was only jolted out of the excited daze when the entire room started moving, and Leorio and Kurapika started arguing loudly.

"Oh, please stop fighting!" I pleaded again, and the elevator doors finally slid open, an icy atmosphere greeting us.

"Hey! I'm Tonpa! You're new aren't you?" A short friendly looking man waved.

"How did you know?" Gon asked.

"I've taken this test 35 times! I guess you could call me a veteran!" he said, looking more proud than he should.

"You must be really knowledgeable!" I exclaimed admiringly.

"There are so many people here! Could you tell me about them?" Gon asked, face full of awed curiosity.

I glanced at each of the people he introduced, amazed at the amount of strong people in the room.

_Uh oh, will I be able to pass? I have to!_

Suddenly, a scream filled the dark hall. My head swiveled around to see an oddly make upped man standing over the screaming man. The screaming man no longer had arms.

"Next time you bump into someone, apologize." The person standing above him smiled evilly.

I peered at him, a cold feeling settling in my stomach, and I turned around to face Tonpa.

"Who is he?" I asked. "He looks like a clown, but he's actually not friendly at all!"

"Damn, he's back. That's number 44, Hisoka the Magician. He was here last year and he would've passed easily if he hadn't almost killed an examiner he didn't like. You'd do well to stay away from him." Tonpa grimaced. "But he's not the only one you shouldn't trust, there are a lot of dodgy types here. Oh yeah! Shall we drink to celebrate our meeting?" Tonpa pulled out a couple cans of juice.

* * *

><p>Tonpa grinned inwardly as they gratefully took the juice. <em>Those cans contain a strong laxative, if you want to take the exam, you'll have to take it in diapers! They don't call me the rookie crusher for nothing!<em>

He eagerly watched them take the first sip and had to stop from smiling.

"Bleh!" Gon spit out his juice."Mister! I think this juice has expired! It has a bad taste!" Gon waved it at him.

"I'm so sorry!" Tonpa said as sincerely as he could as he felt sweat form on his forehead.

_This laxative is virtually tasteless! How could he even taste it? _

"No, you don't have to apologize! I grew up in the wild eating plants and buds, so detecting weird tastes is easy," Gon explained.

_Damn! Why are all this year's rookies so tough? Number 294, Hanzo, looks talkative and easy, but when it comes down to it, he's pretty dangerous. Number 187, Nicole, a stupid brat with a smart computer. And finally, number 99, Killua. That kid's not normal, drinking several cans of the juice had no effect on him. It's alright, I'll get them. _

* * *

><p>"Stop drinking, are you an idiot!? Didn't you hear what Gon said?" Leorio scolded me and slapped the drink out of my hand.<p>

"But…but I'm thirsty!" I mewed sadly at the spilled juice.

"What's with you and drinking, geez…" Leorio muttered.

"Drinks are nice!"

Suddenly, a loud ringing filled the room, and a neat looking man stepped out in a suit. After he finished explaining, I walked after the crowd. I didn't expect anyone to leave at this point, they must have had as much determination as any of us! After awhile, the people in front started running.

"We're running? Are they testing stamina?" I wondered out loud, not looking forward to what was probably going to be a long, long run.

"Not just that. It's also a mental test. The mental strain of not knowing when you will stop running or how long you will be running for, it's an interesting test." Kurapika jogged up beside me. The sound of wheels caught my attention, and a young silver haired boy on a skate board rolled up easily alongside Gon.

"That's so cool! I've never seen one before, it looks like so much fun!" I cried excitedly, looking at the fascinating skate board.

"Hey! That's cheating!" Leorio yelled accusatorily.

"Why?" he asked as he continued to roll along.

"Because it's an endurance test!" Leorio said.

"You're wrong! He just said to follow him right? He didn't say you couldn't skate board," Gon interjected.

"Oi! Whose side are you on Gon?" Leorio whined.

Gon seemed to be hitting it off with him, and Killua flipped his skateboard up to run beside him.

"And you? What's your name?" the silver haired boy asked with a sideward glance.

"Leura! What about yours?" I smiled slightly at his casual running compared with the labored breathing of Leorio.

"Killua," he answered, and I scrutinized him closely, suddenly realizing something.

"You remind me of my brother when he was little!" I clapped happily and ruffled his silver hair.

"…You're weird," Killua muttered, squinted through the half hard half loving head ruffle.

"I think most people here are."

* * *

><p>AN: Well, Leura has a messed up eye! Huzzah~ Don't worry, she's not part of the Kuruta clan, and I must thank <strong>ginryuumaru<strong> for helping me correct that :) Thank you! She's also a bit of a simple one, but I don't think she's dumb...XD Thanks so much to all those who have alerted and fav'd! Please leave a review if you liked the story, or can be bothered XD , and I'll see you soon!


End file.
